We are building a new coop (10 x12f) for my 9 chicks that are coming this Spring. We are considering locating the roosting boxes in the center, this way it will be easier to clean since we are planning to use sweet PDZ in the box and scoop the poop everyday, so by placing them in the center of the coop, it will be easier for the clean up.I have read in BYC that chickens feel safer when they roost by a wall. I wonder if any of you has any experience in placing the roosting boxes in the center of the coop rather than by a wall.I am interested in your opinions since I am a newbie and just learning as it goes. I can easily change our design since the most important thing is the well being of my chicks.

Heard about NEST boxes, but not roost boxes. I have my roost bars, 3 of them, spanning the width of the of the coop. My chickens hang out on all three. You want to make the coop easy to clean, just make your roost bars removable. See what I have below.
Jack

Heard about NEST boxes, but not roost boxes. I have my roost bars, 3 of them, spanning the width of the of the coop. My chickens hang out on all three. You want to make the coop easy to clean, just make your roost bars removable. See what I have below.
Jack

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Thanks Jack, I see your roosts are at the same level which is good (for what I have read) helps with less fighting at roosting time. Great idea!

I've heard that said, about roost bars on the same level and fighting, but nobody told my birds about it. You ought to hear the squalking and thumping around that goes on in there every night. I can only imagine if I had ladder roosts in there.
Jack

Some folks use a platform under the roost to catch night droppings and scoop the litter on it or remove and scrape if it's just a board. I don't think it matters much where you put the roost except that you don't want them too close to the wall (poop would be running down it...). 12" minimum is what I was told. Also, be sure they have enough clearance to get up and down easily. Oh, and put the roost higher than the nest boxes to discourage sleeping in the nests.

I wouldn’t worry about it being a well-being issue for your chickens. I seriously doubt they’d care at all. It’s off the ground and its dark at night. That should suit them fine.

I think the problem you’ll face is that you will be bumping into the roosts when you are in there. That’s the main reason they are usually against the wall, so they are out of your way.

Worry more about making the coop convenient to you that worrying too much about what the chickens want. In general, chickens want to eat, poop, and scratch. With the size of your coop, they’ll be fine however you set it up.

Since JackE showed his method, I’ll show mine for making the roosts removable. There are lots of different ways to solve these problems.

If you are going to stick with 9 chickens and with the size of your coop, you just need in roost across the width for them. Keeping the roost 12” off the wall and making it 24” wide should work. You can easily reach across that 2 feet distance to scrape it. My droppings board is 3 feet wide. I use a short-handled garden hoe to reach across to scrape it.

The above is what I have now,,(pre chickens last spring) I am expanding my coop area to 8 x 12
and my husband just built me the one below , won't be in the middle of the area, but against a
wall to use space more efficiently.

I wouldn’t worry about it being a well-being issue for your chickens. I seriously doubt they’d care at all. It’s off the ground and its dark at night. That should suit them fine.

I think the problem you’ll face is that you will be bumping into the roosts when you are in there. That’s the main reason they are usually against the wall, so they are out of your way.

Worry more about making the coop convenient to you that worrying too much about what the chickens want. In general, chickens want to eat, poop, and scratch. With the size of your coop, they’ll be fine however you set it up.

Since JackE showed his method, I’ll show mine for making the roosts removable. There are lots of different ways to solve these problems.

If you are going to stick with 9 chickens and with the size of your coop, you just need in roost across the width for them. Keeping the roost 12” off the wall and making it 24” wide should work. You can easily reach across that 2 feet distance to scrape it. My droppings board is 3 feet wide. I use a short-handled garden hoe to reach across to scrape it.

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I really love BYC forum, you guys come with lots of great tips and are such a great help for us newbies. Thanks for the input, I had not thought about bumping into the roosts. Removable roosts seems to be the thing to do.

The above is what I have now,,(pre chickens last spring) I am expanding my coop area to 8 x 12
and my husband just built me the one below , won't be in the middle of the area, but against a
wall to use space more efficiently.

Click to expand...

This is a very good design, you are using the top of the nesting boxes as the poop tray so it saves lots of space. Thanks !